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Know How / Maize

Whether it is grown for anaerobic digestion, for livestock feed or grain, maize is being grown more widely and is being seen as a valuable addition to rotation. Our maize page aims to help you grow a more profitable crop.

This is your starting point for addressing challenges such as disease and weed control, choosing the right varieties and protecting the environment.

Key areas of focus:

  • Getting establishment right
  • Planning fungicide strategy
  • Keeping on top of weeds
  • Choosing the right varieties for the right market

Must reads

Case studies

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MAIZE

Biostimulants show potential for UK maize growers

Oxfordshire farmer Mark Viner has seen promising results from using biostimulants to support maize crops under challenging growing conditions. Smokedown Farm, near Faringdon, moved from dairying into a large-scale calf-rearing…

MAIZE

How grain maize earns more profit than wheat for two growers

With yields approaching 10t/ha and gross margins currently exceeding those of wheat, grain maize can be a profitable break crop. However, the crop does have its challenges and requires good…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How one farm is trialling a regen approach to forage maize

Faced with a reliance on maize but driven by a commitment to regenerative farming principles, Lucy and Rob Noad set out to prove that maize can be grown more sustainably.…

DRILLING

Strip-till cultivator brings big maize establishment savings

The use of a strip-till cultivator has halved the number of maize establishment passes and more than doubled work rate at a Hampshire arable farm – all while maintaining yields.…

SOILS

How Arable Insights farmer panel are unlocking soil improvements

Managing soils to improve physical structure and chemical and biological activity has become a key trend on arable farms this decade. Each of this season’s Arable Insights farmer panel are…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize Watch: Average year in Suffolk after wet winter

A laborious drilling campaign was rewarded with an average maize year on the Suffolk-Norfolk border for ex-dairy farmer Toby Tibbenham. Crops yielded a solid 39.5t/ha across the18.5ha (46 acres) of…

Practical advice

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LIVESTOCK

Advice on growing successful maize crops after a wet winter

Challenging wet weather, waterlogged soils and flooded sites mean growers must be flexible and develop a farm-specific strategy to get maize seed in the ground this year. Conditions are not…

COVER CROPS

How to tackle large cover crops before spring drilling

Some of the biggest overwinter cover crops seen in the past 15-20 years will need careful management ahead of spring drilling to maximise yields of the following crop. Oxfordshire-based Agrii…

HARVEST AND CROP STORAGE

What's in your grain store? Tackling pests before harvest

It is estimated that 90% of grain stores harbour at least one insect species known to infest grain, underlining the critical importance of good store hygiene in the run-up to…

LIVESTOCK

Advice on early nutrition for forage maize crops

Top of the to-do list when planning this year’s forage maize crops should be to check soil pH and correct where necessary. Maize needs a pH of 5.8-7, and outside…

FEED AND NUTRITION

5 ways to be more efficient at maize production in 2025

The value of maize in feed rations is not in doubt but farmers are facing challenges in continuing to use it with confidence amid increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. They need…

MAIZE

Advice for creating temporary field clamps for maize

Clamping maize in a field could be an option for farmers to avoid overfilling permanent structures or making a mess on roadways – but it requires careful planning. Hefin Richards…

Insights

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MAIZE

Why UK faces growing mycotoxin risk in silage

Extreme weather patterns are increasing the risk that mycotoxins will cause problems for the UK’s high-yielding dairy herds. A global shift in crop production fuelled by climate change is expected…

FEED AND NUTRITION

How US dairies are using drones to measure clamp tonnage

Using drones to measure silage stocks in maize clamps is replacing estimates on US dairy farms. Farmers can now plan their storage requirements before harvest and better organise feeding –…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Why demand for hybrid rye and maize is set to rise

The expansion of biomethane injection plants and on‑farm anaerobic digestion capacity is creating  long‑term demand for home‑grown feedstocks, offering growers new low‑risk routes to improve profitability and resilience. With 130…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Key benefits of new maize fungicide for growers

Maize growers have a new-generation azole fungicide option for managing foliar disease at the critical stem extension to flowering stage. While mefentrifluconazole is already familiar to cereal growers, the active…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Forage maize yield more than double under film, trial shows

The impact on a farm’s cost of production from more than doubling forage maize yield, from 7t dry matter/ha to 18t, is significant. This yield benefit was seen when the…

CROP SELECTION

Maize for anaerobic digestion - how do the numbers stack up?

Growing maize to supply a local anaerobic digestion plant may look attractive for farmers in the right location, however haulage costs and yield variability can “make or break” profitability That’s…

MAIZE

Triple-use maize variety on offer to support rising interest

The demand for UK maize rise is rising, and so too is the demand for multi-use varieties which offer flexible market opportunities. Maize continues to be the first-choice feedstock for…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Benefits of following maize with Westerwolds ryegrass

Including freshly cut Westerwolds ryegrass in the ration during housing is increasing daily milk yield by 2 litres a cow in a Ceredigion dairy herd and capturing significant cost savings…

FEED AND NUTRITION

Maize Watch: Crop progress a month behind

Maize progress has largely been a month behind all year in southern Wales, with drilling and harvesting dates both delayed.   This is according to George John of SG John…

MAIZE

Why grain maize could be a profitable spring cropping option

Grain maize could be a profitable spring option for growers this season, with expected net margins of £914/ha, thanks to growing market demand. After the winter washout wreaked havoc on…

Video

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FEED AND NUTRITION

How growing maize with beans can improve silage quality

Intercropping of maize and climbing beans is gaining ground among German farmers keen to improve the quality of their silage. Yields and protein content are particularly promising when the two…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Video: How to properly set up a crop sprayer

Crop spraying is one of the most important and highly skilled jobs undertaken on any arable farm, but it is facing increased public scrutiny. This is why it is vital…

ARABLE

Video: How to calibrate your slug pellet spreader

Slug pellets and the potential harm they can cause to watercourses is under intensifying scrutiny. Making sure pellet spreaders are properly set up will be vital to avoid breaching the…

ARABLE

Video: How to sample your soil for analysis

The quieter winter months are a prime time to get a snapshot of the state of soils and consider any adjustments to maximise fertility and crop potential. Unlike most other…